Toy breathing apparatus for swimmers



April 1960 F.\P. V!LAREM 2,931,057 TOY BREATHING APPARATUS FOR SWIMMERSFiled March 20, 1959 IN V EN TOR. F RA NCO/aRI/ILAREM v "af ma a TOYBREATHHNG APPARATUS FOR SWIMMERS Francois Pierre Vilarem, Los Angeles,Calif.

Application March 20, 1959, Serial No. 800,813

1 Claim. (Cl. 9-339) This invention relates to breathing apparatus forswimmers and has as its general object to provide a toy apparatussimulating a Scuba type of breathing apparatus utilized by skin divers(the term Scuba representing self contained underwater breathingapparatus).

More specifically, the invention provides a safety or fool-proof snorkelfor use by child swimmers and resembling a Scuba apparatus so as to havethe appeal, to a child, of being an underwater breathing apparatus.

In general, the invention provides a snorkel which, instead of the rigidvalved tube characteristic of the usual snorkel, utilizes a flexibletube extending between a mouthpiece and an inlet which is provided witha float to maintain it at all times above the surface of the water. Thefloat is in a form such as to simulate an air cylinder of a Scubaapparatus.

With the foregoing in mind, the invention has as a major object toprovide a snorkel apparatus including buoyant means which not onlysimulates a Scuba air cylinder but also provides for holding the inletof the snorkel above the water surface so as to minimize the possibilityof water being drawn through the snorkel as the result of the inletbeing covered by a wave.

A further object is to provide such a snorkel apparatus wherein thefloat is carried on the back of the swimmer exactly like the aircylinder of a Scuba apparatus and wherein the snorkel tube extendsbetween the float and the mouthpiece as held in the swimmers mouth, in amanner similar to that of the breathing tube of a Scuba apparatus.

A further object is to provide a snorkel apparatus combined with a floatwhich will function, like a life jacket, to maintain a swimmers body atthe surface of the water.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the ensuingspecification and appended drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of my improved snorkel apparatus as worn by aswimmer;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the same partially in section;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, and in particular to Figs. 1 and 2, I haveshown therein, as an example of one form in which the invention may beembodied, a childs snorkel apparatus comprising, in general, a floatsimulating a compressed air cylinder of a Scuba apparatus, a flexiblebreathing tube 11, a hollow shell 12 simulating the regulator of a Scubaapparatus and attached to one end of the tube 11 and also to one end ofthe float 10, an inlet neck 13 in the shell 12, and a mouthpiece 14 atthe other end of the flexible tube 11, adapted to be engaged in themouth of a swimmer. Tube 11 communicates with the interior of shell 12,as by means of an integral nipple 9 on the shell, to which it isattached.

The float 10 is buoyant. It may embody an air filled 2,93Lfl57 PatentedApr. 5, 1960 hollow container for maximum buoyancy, although preferablyit is a solid body of cellular material which is tough and not easilydamaged, such as molded foam synthetic resin plastic of high buoyancy,indicated at 15, and having a skin 16 which is relatively non-porous.The skin 16 may be of an un-foamed resin of the same chemicalcomposition as the cellular body 15 but in the form of a continuousnon-porous skin lacking the air cells of the body 15. Thus the body 15is encased and shielded against becoming water-logged.

At one end, the float 10 has a boss 17 simulating a neck, and into theboss 17 is molded or otherwise secured one end of a connecting device 18simulating a valved,

fitting between an air cylinder and a regulator or breathing tube of aScuba apparatus.

In the other end of the float 10, corresponding to the bottom of an aircylinder, is molded a weight 19 which causes that end of the float toseek a lowered position in the water and forces the end which carriesthe inlet shell 12 to extend upwardly and remain above the surface ofthe Water due to the buoyant effect of the float as a whole. The fitting18 comprises a pair of crossed rod-like members 20 and 20 resemblingtubes, crossing one another at right angles and joined together bywelding or cementing, but preferably by being molded integrally as asingle part. The part 20 has one end anchored in the neck part 17, andthe part 20 has an end that is secured, as by molding, into the side ofthe shell 12 to resemble the connection of an inlet tube to a Scubaregulator. Each of the parts 20 and 20 have disc-like heads 21 and 21which resemble the hand wheels of valves for regulating the flow from anair cylinder to a regulator.

The shell 12 may be of molded hard plastic material (e.g. molded in twosections joined together at a peripheral seam as indicated) and it isrigidly attached to the end of connecting part 20' in any suitablemanner, as by having a fitting part 22 into which the end of part 20' ismolded or welded, or cemented.

Referring now to Fig. 1, the apparatus includes a pair of harness straps23, each of which may be attached at one end to the upper end of thefloat 10 and each of which has at its other end (Fig. 2) a suitablefastener part 24 adapted to be attached to a suitable fastener part 25on the float 10 near its lower end.

With the arms of the swimmer extended through these shoulder straps andwith the mouth piece 14 engaged in the swirnmers mouth and the flexibletube 11 extending from the inlet part 12 around one side of the swimmersneck, it will be apparent that the float 10 will ride in the water in aninclined position substantially as shown in Fig. 1, with its weightedlower end submerged, and with its other end supporting the inlet member13 above the surface of the water. The swimmer can duck his face belowthe water at any time, the flexible tube 11 flexing to accommodate thismovement of the mouthpiece, while the inlet member 12 will remain abovethe surface of the water.

The apparatus has the further advantage of providing a float which willsupport the body of a child in the Water in a normal swimming position,somewhat similar to the action of a pair of waterwings on a lifepreserver or jacket. Thus the apparatus is a general safety apparatus inaddition to providing a safety snorkel.

Modified form 0 the invention-Fig. 4

Referring now to Fig. 4, in lieu of the fitting and inlet constructionshown in Fig. 1, the fitting 180, as shown in Fig. 4, may embody amolded body 12a (which may be fabricated in sections cemented or bondedtogether) and an air passage of generally S-shape may be molded therein,including an inlet portion 13a extending diagonally toward the nipplepart 9a to which the flexible tube 11 is attached, a transverse passage27 extending from the inner end of inlet portion 13a toward theconnecting fitting 18a and embodying an enlarged offset portiondefininga valve chamber 2a, having a valve 'seat 23, .a goose-neckportion 30 extending from valve chamber 29 into connecting fitting 18aand thence back into the body 12a, and a connecting passage 31communicating with flexible tube 11 through the nipple part 90. Theremay also be provided, in this form of the invention, an exhalation valvein the form of a flapper 32 normally closing the external end of anexhalation outlet 33 branching from the connecting passage 31 ahead ofthe valve chamber 29. A float valve 34 in the chamber 29 may then beadapted to seat against the valve seat 28 so as to close the inlet 13aduring inhalation, to protect the swimmer from inhaling water in theevent the valve chamber should become filled with water (e.g. as theresult of the inlet 13a being submerged by a wave). Exhaled gases willbe discharged at a point considerably short of the inlet 13a. Theexhalation outlet may be located immediately adjacent the end of thebreathing tube 11 as indicated, and may be either on the upper side ofpassage 31 as shown or on the lower side, communicating through thebottom of the body 12a so as to provide for bubbling exhalation of airinto the water to simulate the action of an actual weight embedded inone end thereof corresponding to the bottom of said cylinder; harnessmeans for attaching said float to the back of a swimmer with said oneend of the float extending downwardly; a fitting attached to the otherend of said float and projecting out of a body of water in which thefloat and the swimmer to which it is attached are supported, saidfitting embodying an air inlet; a flexible tube having one end thereofattached to said fitting and communicating with said air inlettherethrough; and a mouthpiece on the other end of said flexible tubeadapted to be held in the mouth of the swimmer while said flexible tubeextends around one side of the swimmers neck; said fitting comprising abody simulating a regulator of an underwater breathing apparatus andhaving a passage of substantially s-form extending therethrough andterminating in the periphery thereof to provide said air inlet, saidpassage including an intermediate valve chamber provided with adownwardly facing valve seat; and a float valve ball in said chamberadapted to be raised against said seat by water in said chamber to closesaid S-s'naped passage and prevent inhalation thereof, said fittingfurther including an exhalation valve located adjacent the point ofconnection of said breathing tube to said fitting and communicating withsaid breathing tube for relief of exhaled air at a point nearer saidmouthpiece than said valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,446,222 Swineford Feb. 20, 1923 1,727,202 Greer Sept. 3, 19292,660,194 Hoffman Nov. 24, 1953 2,780,224 Wallace Feb. 5, 1957 2,818,066Glidden Dec. 31, 1957 2,823,670 Page Feb. 18, 1958

